Is DuckDuckGo Good Enough for Protecting Online Privacy?

You probably use DuckDuckGo because you care about your privacy. The thing is, although this browser is better than Chrome in terms of securing your data, it won’t give you the full coverage you want.

If you want to protect your data while browsing, keep your privacy, and mask your search result, the ultimate way to do it is to use DuckDuckGo with a VPN.

I tested over a dozen VPNs to help you find the best services to use with DuckDuckGo. Each of my recommended VPNs offer a money-back guarantee, so you can try every feature for yourself before you commit.

NordVPN’s military-grade encryption works with DuckDuckGo’s features to ensure your data is protected at every stage. DuckDuckGo saves your search history, although it cannot be linked back to you — NordVPN guarantees zero logs for browsing anonymity. This means every time you click on a DuckDuckGo search result, you’re still protected.

Although NordVPN offers numerous security features, I especially like its CyberSec feature. While you search with DuckDuckGo, CyberSec adds an extra layer of protection from suspicious sites, phishing scams, and annoying pop-up ads. You can easily apply this feature to every connection by turning it on in app settings.

Adding another layer of protection is easy with NordVPN’s CyberSec feature

During my tests, I found I could connect to NordVPN’s servers quickly and easily. With thousands of servers to choose from (more than any other VPN on this list), I could always find a fast connection in my desired location. When I was connected to DuckDuckGo, it loaded and produced search results instantly, just like it did with my regular ISP.

NordVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try out all of its security features completely risk-free. Requesting a refund is easy — simply contact customer service through the live chat. I did it myself and got my money back, no questions asked.

With ExpressVPN, zero-logs really means no logs at all. Its TrustedServer technology runs the VPN on RAM, which wipes all data with every reboot. When browsing with DuckDuckGo and ExpressVPN, you can be confident that your online activity is completely anonymous.

In apps settings under the protocol tab, you’ll see that you can choose from 3 different protocols for extra security: Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol (L2TP), and OpenVPN (UDP and TCP). Every time you connect to a server, ExpressVPN automatically connects you to the protocol best for your network, but you can also choose manually.

ExpressVPN’s security features won’t compromise server speeds either. When I tested some of its servers, my speeds dropped a little — it didn’t affect my browsing experience. My average download speed was still over 44.16Mbps, only about 5Mbps slower than my base speed.

CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers in Romania make it a great option to use with DuckDuckGo. Romania is outside the 14 Eyes Alliances — groups of countries that share intelligence and access your online activity. This means CyberGhost is not required to keep any logs. With NoSpy servers owned and managed only by CyberGhost, you can make truly anonymous connections.

CyberGhost also offers extra security features to keep your personal data safe. DNS and IP leak protection prevent your data from being seen by websites or prying eyes, and an automatic kill switch protects you if the connection drops.

During my DNS leak test, CyberGhost kept my location anonymous

When I tested CyberGhost’s server performance, I could always find a reliable connection for downloading, streaming, or torrenting. Some servers were slower than my usual ISP connection, but the drop didn’t make a noticeable difference to my DuckDuckGo searches.

Common FAQs About DuckDuckGo

⚙️ What does DuckDuckGo do?

DuckDuckGo doesn’t use cookies to follow you (or target you for ads), and it doesn’t collect any personal information. It hides your IP address from both the search engine and any spying eyes.

Unlike other search engines, DuckDuckGo prioritizes your anonymity when you’re using its private mode. With a normal search engine like Google, when you click a link (even in “incognito mode”) your search terms are sent to the site you visit in the HTTP referer header. Your computer automatically shares the information, including data like your IP address — which is then used to identify you.

With DuckDuckGo, when you’re redirected, your search terms are kept hidden. The site associated with the search result you clicked on knows you’ve visited it, but not the search you used to get there or any other identifying information.

❓ Should I use DuckDuckGo with a VPN?

DuckDuckGo is great for keeping your search data secure, but it doesn’t give you the full coverage you need. While it doesn’t track your online activity, you’re only protected when you’re on DuckDuckGo — not when you’re browsing a new site. When you use a VPN, everything you do online is encrypted. As soon as you connect to a VPN server, your personal data is secure.

If you want to guarantee your data security and access the internet freely, you should use a VPN. Although premium VPNs are the most trustworthy, there are a few good free VPNs available — but they come with data restrictions.

🔍 Is DuckDuckGo legal to use?

Important! If you use DuckDuckGo in a country with heavy internet censorship and surveillance, be careful. While you probably won’t face legal issues, you could be fined if you’re found using a censored search engine.

DuckDuckGo is legal in countries with internet freedom — but it’s blocked in countries with strict censorship. This search engine is fully GDPR compliant as of May 2018. GDPR compliance ensures data protection and online privacy for people in the European Union. However, in places like China, you could face fines if it’s discovered that you’re using a censored search engine.

If you’re in a country with limited internet freedom, the only way you’ll be able to use the search engine is if you also use a VPN.

I handpicked the best VPNs to use with DuckDuckGo and they all have comprehensive money-back guarantees. You can try them for yourself risk-free to make sure they’re right for you, all while keeping your personal data safe.

Kate Hawkins is a tech-focused writer and web expert with a keen interest in online security and privacy. She enjoys getting stuck into new technology and researching the latest cybersecurity trends to keep readers informed and safe online.

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